Common name: Lake Sturgeon, sturgeon, rock sturgeon
Native.
ID: Torpedo shaped body. Total length 45" or more. Barbels on lower snout smooth. Gray or brown, adults have white ventrally. 5 rows of bony plates (less noticeable as adults). Single dorsal fin.
Life cycle: Females spawn every 3 to 7 years, males ever 1 to 4 years. Reach sexual maturity between 14 and 33 years for females, 12 and 17 years for males. Spawn on clean gravel and stream rapids from April to May. Males live up to 55 years and 80-100 years for females. Considered to be rare, and also the oldest living sturgeon in the region.
Feed on: Insect larvae, crayfish, snails, clams, leeches on the bottom.
Where to find them: Warm water, 15 to 30 feet in depth. Near shore. Lake Michigan and Lake Superior (though rare).